Battle of Rufiji Delta

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Rufiji Delta
partof=World War I


caption=Wreck of "Königsberg"
date= October 1914 - 11 July 1915
place= Rufiji Delta, German East Africa (now Tanzania)
result= British victory
combatant1=flagicon|German Empire Germany
combatant2=flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
commander1=flagicon|German Empire|naval Cdr. Max Looff
commander2=flagicon|United Kingdom|naval Cpt. Drury-Lowe
strength1=1 light cruiser SMS "Königsberg"
1 supply ship
1 captured freighter (ex-British)
strength2=1 pre-dreadnought battleship
4 cruisers
2 monitors
various smaller craft
1 ship sunk as blockship
1 civilian and 9 naval aircraft
casualties1="Königsberg" sunk
33 dead mostly due to disease
supply ship sunk
captured freighter sunk
casualties2=1 civilian and 5 naval aircraft, mostly through attritionThe Battle of the Rufiji Delta was fought in German East Africa (modern Tanzania) from 1914–1915 during World War I, between the German cruiser SMS "Königsberg", and a powerful group of British warships. The battle was a series of attempts to sink the blockaded German ship that eventually resulted in the sinking of the "Königsberg".

Background

In 1914 the most powerful German ship in the Indian Ocean was the light cruiser "Königsberg". Suffering from engine problems that precluded a return to Germany, "Königsberg" sought refuge in the Delta of the Rufiji River in order to make the necessary repairs, along with her supply ship, the "Somali". HMS "Chatham" discovered "Königsberg" in the delta towards the end of October. On November 5, two additional British cruisers, HMS "Dartmouth" and HMS "Weymouth" arrived at the scene, and blockaded the German ship in the delta. In early November, "Chatham" opened fire at long range, sinking the "Somali", but failing to hit the German cruiser, which promptly sailed further upstream. The British ships were more powerful than "Königsberg", but were unable to navigate the delta. The crew of the "Königsberg" disguised their ship so it looked like the forest around the delta.

Blockade

The British made several more attempts to sink or render useless the "Königsberg". An attempt was made to slip a shallow-draft torpedo boat (with escorts) within range, an operation easily repulsed by the force in the delta. A blockship, the "Newbridge", was successfully sunk by the British across one of the delta mouths to prevent her escape, however it was soon realized that the "Königsberg" could still escape through the delta's other channels. Dummy mines were laid in some of these alternates, but they were considered a doubtful deterrent. [Miller. "Battle of the Bundu". p86.] A civilian pilot named Cutler was convinced to bring his Curtiss seaplane for reconnaissance; his plane and another soon crashed, although they verified the presence of the illusive cruiser. A pair of Royal Naval Air Service Sopwiths were brought up with the intention of scouting and even bombing the ship, but they soon fell apart in the tropical conditions. A trio of Short seaplanes [One of the Short aircraft, "Short Admiralty Type 81 'Folder'" bearing the RNAS serial number "119", had taken part in the Cuxhaven Raid on 25 December 1914. See Barnes & James, p.97] fared a little better, managing even to take photographs of the ship before they were grounded by the glue-melting tropical heat and German fire. [Miller. "Battle of the Bundu". p114.]

Attempts to use the convert|12|in|mm|0|sing=on guns of the old battleship HMS "Goliath" to sink the cruiser were unsuccessful, once again because the shallow waters prevented the battleship from getting within range.

However, by March 1915 food supplies were low and many of the crew members aboard the "Königsberg" died from malaria and other tropical diseases. Generally cut off from the outside world, the morale of the sailors fell. However, the situation was marginally improved with a scheme to resupply the ship and give her a fighting chance to return home. A captured British merchant ship, "Rubens", was renamed "Kronborg". It was given a Danish flag, papers, and a crew of German sailors specially selected for their ability to speak Danish. It was then packed with coal, field guns, ammunition, fresh water, and the like. After successfully infiltrating the waters of East Africa, it was intercepted by the alerted "Hyacinth", which chased it to Manza Bay. The trapped ship was eventually sunk, burnt, and left for scrap. Astonishingly, upon investigation by the Germans, much of her cargo was deemed salvageable, and made its way to "Königsberg" on the backs of African porters. [Miller. "Battle of the Bundu". p112.]

inking

Two shallow draft monitors, HMS "Mersey" and HMS "Severn", were towed to the Rufiji from Britain by way of Malta and the Red Sea making it to the delta in July 1915. With nonessential items removed, added armour bolted on, and a covered by a full bombardment by the rest of the fleet, they ran the gauntlet. Aided by a squadron of 4 land planes (two Caudrons and two Henry Farmans [Miller. "Battle of the Bundu". p116.] ) based at Mafia Island to spot the fall of shells, they engaged in a long-range duel with "Königsberg", which was assisted by shore-based spotters. Although "Mersey" was hit and the monitors were unable to score on the first day, they returned again on 11 July. Finally, their 6-inch (152 mm) guns seriously knocked out "Königsberg's" armament and then reduced her to a wreck. At around 2 pm, Looff ordered her scuttled with a torpedo. [Miller. "Battle of the Bundu". p124.] After the battle the British were unquestionably the strongest naval power in the Indian Ocean.

Aftermath

The next day, 33 German dead were buried by the 188 remaining crewmen. A plaque was placed near the graves, reading "Beim Untergang S.M.S. Königsberg am 11.7.15 gefallen..." followed by a list of the dead. However, an unintended consequence was that the Germans then recovered the "Königsberg's" 10 10.5 cm (4.1 inch) quick-firing guns, mounted them on improvised field carriages, and used them with great success as powerful field guns in their guerrilla campaign against the British Empire around East Africa. The guns were used in various ways, including as harbor fortifications in Dar es Salaam, as well as being remounted onto the passenger ferry "Graf von Götzen". The last gun was not knocked out until October 1917. [Farndale 1988, page 347-349] The remaining crew from "Königsberg" went on to serve as ground troops under General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck.

One of the "Königsberg's" 4.1in. guns is on display outside Fort Jesus, Mombasa,Kenya, complete with its improvised gun carriage.

In literature

*The novel "Shout At the Devil" by Wilbur Smith is based on this battle.

Notes

References

*General Sir Martin Farndale, [http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Royal-Regiment-Artillery-M-Farndale/dp/1870114051 "History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base, 1914-18". London : The Royal Artillery Institution, 1988] .